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NITED STATES ATENT Fries.

THOMAS E. BUCKMAN, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,358, dated October 27, 1885.

Application filed September 2, 1895. Serial No. 175,993. (No moth 1.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LTHoMAs E. BUCKMAN, of Jacksonville, in the county of Duval and State of Florida, have invented a new and Improved Car-Coupling, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts and details, as will be fully set forth hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation of my improved cancoupling in the position which it has when the cars are coupled. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing it in position ready for coupling. Fig. 3 is aplan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the link.

The draw-head A is provided with a stem, B, projecting from its rear end and running through the plates K and D and the spring 0, the stern also passing through a cross-piece, E, uniting two side pieces, F, between which the cross-piece D is held. The cross'piece E has side pieces E, against the front ends of which the cross-piece D can strike. A key, B, is passed through the stem B, behind the crosspieee D, and a key, B", is passed through the stem B, at the rear end of the same. The key B prevents the stem being drawn entirely through the cross-piece E to the f ont, and the key B takes up the forward draft. The bottom edges of the side pieces F are inclined downward toward the front end of the drawhead, and the side pieces are united by a cross piece, G, secured to the bottom edges to hold up the rear end of the draw-head and resist the downward thrust of the linkframe S. 0n the under side of the front ends of the side pieces F is bolted a flat cross-piece, H, having a downwardly-projecting flange, I, with an aperture, 1, through which the hook J on the lower inner end of the curved coupling-pin J is passed. The draw-head A is provided with a bevel, L, on its bottom edge, near the front end. The draw-head also has a cavity, M, for receiving the link N, and a slightly-curved pinaperture, M, extending from top to bottom.

0 is the front end beam of the car, and the distance from the bottom edge of said beam to the cross-piece H is equal to the height or thickness of the draw-head directly in front of the bevel L. A rock-shaft, P, is j ournaled on the under side of the car, and is provided at the ends which are at the sides of the car with levers Q, which can be held or locked 1n place when lowered by latches Q, pivoted on the sides of the car. The rock-shaft has a longitudinal groove, It, for receiving the forward end of a rectangular link or frame, S, which has its rear end pivoted in the rear end of the draw-head and presses against the draw-spring plate K. The rook-shaft has a cam-arm, T, which can act on the frame S. A short shaft, U, mounted above the draw-head, has a camarm, U, which is to hold up the end S of the frame S above the rook-shaft during the interval between the acts of uncoupling and drawing the cars apart, and also to prevent the link S from springing up or bouncing out of place when coupled and the train is running slack. A spring, V, surrounds the shaft U and acts on the same in such a manner as to press the arm U on or under the cross-piece S.

The operation is as follows: \Vhen the ear is coupled, the front part of the draw-head rests on the cross-piece I, the pin J is passed up through the draw-head and holds the link N, the forward end part, S, of the locking-link S being in the groove R of the rock-shaft P and prevents pulling the draw-head outward, and the cam-arm U, pressed by the spring V on the cross-piece S, prevents the front end of the frame S springing up and out of the groove R, and thus releasing the draw-head when not under strain. The frame S is not only locked in place by the cam-arm U, but by its shape holds itself securely in the groove in the shaft when under strain. Vhen it is desired to uncouple, the handle Q is swung up toZturn the rock-shaft P in such a manner as to cause the cam T to strike the front end of the frame S and swing the same upward, thereby releasing the draw-head,which can be pulled out a certain distance by the strain on the link. The bevel L slides down the cross-piece H, the front end of the draw-head descends, and the pin J swings down and releases the link N. \Vhen the ears couple, the draw-head A is forced inward by the opposing draw-head and the bevel L slides up the cross-piece H,Whereby the pin J is swung up and through the draw-head and link. The draw-head is pushed back so far that the cross-piece S can drop into the groove It, and thus lock the draw head in place, the cross-piece S being heidin place by the cam-arm U.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with the draw-head A, having the bevel L on its bottom, of the crosspiece H,and the curved coupling-pin J on the. cross-piece, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination, with the draw-head A, having the bevel L on its bottom, of the crossniece H below the draw'head, the flange 1, h iving the aperture 1, and the curved coupling-pin J, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The combination,with the draw-head A, of the frame S on the same,and the rock-shaft P, having a groove, R, substantially as herein shown and described. a

4. The combination,with the draw-head A, of the frame S, the rock-shaft P, having the groove R, and the cam-arm T on the rockshaft, substantially as herein shown and described.

5. The combination,with the draw-head A, of the frame S on the same, the rock-shaft P, the shaft U, having the cam-arm U, and a spring on the said shaft U, substantially as herein shown and described.

6. The combination,with the draw-head A, of the frame S on the same, the rock-shaft P, having a groove, R, the cam T on the shaft P, the shaft U, the cam U, and the spring V, substantially as herein shown and described.

THOMAS E. BUCKMAN.

\Vitnesses:

E. A. CosTELLoW, 0. BUOKMAN. 

